Rapid entry point localization for percutaneous interventions

Abstract

A method for localizing a skin entry point on a patient for a percutaneous intervention includes planning a needle trajectory for the percutaneous intervention using a 3D planning image dataset and a planning application, performing a superior-inferior localization of an imaging scanner table containing an imaging scanner using the needle trajectory, and performing a lateral localization of the skin entry point using the needle trajectory.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for localizing a skin entry point on a patient for a percutaneous intervention, comprising the steps of:
 planning a needle trajectory for the percutaneous intervention using a 3D planning image dataset and a planning application;   performing a superior-inferior localization of an imaging scanner table containing an imaging scanner using the needle trajectory; and   performing a lateral localization of the skin entry point using the needle trajectory.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein performing a superior-inferior localization of an imaging scanner table comprises translating the imaging scanner table so that a landmark laser of the imaging scanner delineates an axial slice location in the 3D planning image dataset corresponding to the skin entry point. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein translating an imaging scanner table is determined from
 t move =d iso,laser +t curr     —     pos ±e z , wherein d iso,laser  is a distance between the landmark laser and an isocenter of the imaging scanner magnet, t curr     —     pos  is a current scanner table position and e z  is a z-coordinate of the skin entry point.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the e z  term is added if the patient is registered head first with the imaging scanner, and the the e z  term is subtracted if the patient is registered feet first with the imaging scanner. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing a lateral localization of the skin entry point comprises:
 segmenting an object in the axial slice corresponding to the skin entry point;   generating a curved line along an edge of the segmented object from the skin entry point to a zero x coordinate; and   determining a length of the curved line, wherein the curve length defines a lateral offset of the skin entry point.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a landmark laser of the imaging scanner is illuminating the zero x coordinate with cross hairs, and the skin entry point corresponds to a lateral position of the laser light cross hairs. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein segmenting an object is performed using a minimum error thresholding technique. 
     
     
         8 . A system for localizing a skin entry point on a patient for a percutaneous intervention, comprising:
 an imaging scanner disposed on an imaging scanner table, said imaging scanner configured to acquire imaging data from a patient and including a landmark laser;   a planning application configured to plan a needle trajectory for the percutaneous intervention using a 3D planning image dataset;   a superior-inferior localizer configured to translate the imaging scanner table so that the landmark laser of the imaging scanner delineates an axial slice location in the 3D planning image dataset corresponding to the skin entry point; and   a lateral localizer configured to measure a distance along the patient's skin from the skin entry point to a point marked on the patient's skin by the landmark laser.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the imaging scanner table translation is determined from t move =d iso,laser +t curr     —     pos ±e z , wherein d iso,laser  is a distance between the landmark laser and an isocenter of the imaging scanner magnet, t curr     —     pos  is a current scanner table position, e z  is a z-coordinate of the skin entry point, wherein the e z  term is added if the patient is registered head first with the imaging scanner, and the the e z  term is subtracted if the patient is registered feet first with the imaging scanner. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the imaging scanner is a magnetic resonance imaging scanner. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executed by the computer to perform the method steps for localizing a skin entry point on a patient for a percutaneous intervention, the method comprising the steps of:
 planning a needle trajectory for the percutaneous intervention using a 3D planning image dataset and a planning application;   performing a superior-inferior localization of an imaging scanner table containing an imaging scanner using the needle trajectory; and   performing a lateral localization of the skin entry point using the needle trajectory.   
     
     
         12 . The computer readable program storage device of  claim 11 , wherein performing a superior-inferior localization of an imaging scanner table comprises translating the imaging scanner table so that a landmark laser of the imaging scanner delineates an axial slice location in the 3D planning image dataset corresponding to the skin entry point. 
     
     
         13 . The computer readable program storage device of  claim 12 , wherein translating an imaging scanner table is determined from
 t move =d iso,laser +t curr     —     pos ±e z , wherein d iso,laser  is a distance between the landmark laser and an isocenter of the imaging scanner magnet, t curr     —     pos  is a current scanner table position and e z  is a z-coordinate of the skin entry point.   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable program storage device of  claim 13 , wherein the e z  term is added if the patient is registered head first with the imaging scanner, and the the e z  term is subtracted if the patient is registered feet first with the imaging scanner. 
     
     
         15 . The computer readable program storage device of  claim 11 , wherein performing a lateral localization of the skin entry point comprises:
 segmenting an object in the axial slice corresponding to the skin entry point;   generating a curved line along an edge of the segmented object from the skin entry point to a zero x coordinate; and   determining a length of the curved line, wherein the curve length defines a lateral offset of the skin entry point.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable program storage device of  claim 15 , wherein a landmark laser of the imaging scanner is illuminating the zero x coordinate with cross hairs, and the skin entry point corresponds to a lateral position of the laser light cross hairs. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable program storage device of  claim 15 , wherein segmenting an object is performed using a minimum error thresholding technique.